The present invention claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. P2000-0069277 filed on Nov. 21, 2000, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid crystal display (LCD) device and a method of manufacturing the same, and more particularly, to a seal for a liquid crystal display device and a method of manufacturing a seal for a liquid crystal display device.
2. Background of the Related Art
FIGS. 1A-1C show a structure of a related art seal pattern 1 between first and second substrates 20 and 30 of a liquid crystal display device.
In FIG. 1A, a liquid crystal injection method is shown. During the liquid crystal injection method, the seal pattern 1 having an injection hole is printed on one or both of the first and second substrates 20 and 30, and an end-seal pattern is formed thereon. In FIG. 1B, a liquid crystal dispensing method is shown. During the liquid crystal dispensing method, the seal pattern 1 having no injection hole is printed on one or both the first and second substrates 20 and 30, and then the liquid crystal is uniformly dispensed on an active region at an inner side of the seal pattern 1.
A method for forming the seal pattern 1 will be described as follows.
In a first process step, an epoxy resin 2 is mixed with a glass fiber 3 to maintain a cell gap ratio of 100:1 in a beaker for ten minutes. The epoxy resin 2 includes a thermo-hardening epoxy resin, a photo hardening epoxy resin, or a thermo- and photo-hardening epoxy resin, for example. The epoxy resin has a viscosity between 30,000 cp and 600,000 cp.
In a second process step, a seal compound of the epoxy resin 2 and the glass fiber 3 is stirred to remove bubbles for two hours under a vacuum of 760 mmHg.
In a third process step, the seal compound void of any bubbles is hermetically maintained in a cylinder at a temperature below 0xc2x0 C.
In a fourth process step, the seal compound and cylinder are maintained at an ambient temperature for three hours or more. Then, a dispensing or printing process step is performed, thereby forming the seal pattern 1 within a seal region xe2x80x9cSxe2x80x9d on the substrate.
In FIG. 1C, the glass fiber 3 is mixed with the epoxy resin 2 between the first and second substrates 20 and 30 by the seal pattern. Spacers 4 are disposed around a peripheral region within an active region xe2x80x9cA.xe2x80x9d A liquid crystal layer 5 is also disposed within the active region xe2x80x9cA.xe2x80x9d
However, the related art method for forming the seal pattern has the following problems. When the glass fiber 3 is mixed with the epoxy resin 2, gas bubbles are generated. The gas bubbles are removed under vacuum during the second process step. However, when a high viscosity epoxy resin is used to make the seal compound, the gas bubbles are not completely removed during the second process step. Accordingly, the seal pattern 1 may be compromised due to the gas bubbles being present in the seal pattern 1, or due to out-gassing of the gas bubbles inside the seal pattern 1. Therefore, external moisture may penetrate into the liquid crystal display device through the seal pattern 1, thereby degrading picture quality.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a liquid crystal display device that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device using a seal material that does not generate gas bubbles.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device having spacers formed in an active region provided with liquid crystal material.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device having spacers formed in an active region provided with liquid crystal material.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
To achieve these objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate having a seal region and an active region, a seal pattern on the seal region between the first and second substrates, a plurality of spacers in the active region and in the seal region, and a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates.
In another aspect, a liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a second substrate opposite to the first substrate, a seal region along a periphery of the second substrate, an active region within the seal region, at least one seal pattern disposed within the seal region between the first and second substrates, a plurality of spacers within the active region and within the seal region, and a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates.
In another aspect, a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display panel includes forming a seal region along a periphery of one of first and second substrates, forming an active region within the seal region, forming at least one seal pattern within the seal region between the first and second substrates, forming a plurality of spacers within the active region and within the seal region, and forming a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.